Asthma plea follows Joshua’s tragic death

Joshua Platt

A HEARTBROKEN couple are calling for greater awareness of asthma following the death of their nine-year-old son.

Hollinwood youngster Joshua Platt died in February after a sudden attack — despite having lived with the condition for most of his life.

Now his mum and stepfather, Joanna and Keith, say more people need to be aware of the importance of preventative medication so they don’t suffer the same fate as their son.

Mother-of-three Joanna said: “I think he had become laid back about his medication and thought that because he had his inhaler to use if he had an attack, he didn’t need to worry about the other inhaler that would prevent it in the first place.

“Everyone else was reminding him to take it but he wasn’t aware of how important it was. Children who have asthma need to be better educated about the importance of all their medication.”

In the months before Joshua’s death, the family asked the Limeside Medical Practice for spare inhalers — but was told the NHS couldn’t afford them.

In the hours before his death on February 12, Joshua had been in good health. An attack came on suddenly and he began to wheeze and panic. He was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after 8.30pm.

An inquest revealed that by the time he got his inhaler his airways had already closed.

Coroner Simon Nelson recorded a verdict of natural causes but urged parents, teachers and GPs across the borough to ensure sufferers understand the importance of their preventative medication.

He called on GPs to give out spare inhalers, after hearing how Joshua regularly left his at school by mistake: “If there are still some GP practices that remain of the opinion that back-ups should not be provided then that quite clearly is wrong and unacceptable.” 

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